Some time later, in the history of a dead mankind attempting to survive in a dead creation, a person named Abraham obeyed God under extremely difficult conditions. As a result, the promise of redemption was given: "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed."

Abraham's descendants, the Hebrew Prophets, being anointed by the Spirit of God, proclaimed the redemption of the material creation:

But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. (Numbers 14:21)

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:9)

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14)

The Prophets speak clearly and repeatedly that the Lord God of Heaven shall redeem the material creation: He shall cast out the spirit of futility, corruption, and death and shall fill all things with the eternal Life that is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

But the price of such redemption must be paid. It was necessary that the blood of Christ be offered on the cross as the payment for the redemption of the creation. From God's point of view the blood of Jesus is payment in full. Satan has lost all his authority over the creation. Christ now owns the material creation and He can do with it as He will.

As thou hast given him power [authority] over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. (John 17:2)

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18)

We understand, therefore, that the Lord Jesus now owns the entire material creation including all persons therein. Also, He is supreme Lord in the spirit realm.

As the Father directs Him, Jesus issues eternal life to human beings. This is the regeneration, the redemption of the material creation.

The inheritance of the Lord Jesus Christ is the material creation. Jesus created all things and then had to die to redeem His lawful inheritance.

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen [nations] for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. (Psalms 2:8)

The nations and the farthest reaches of the earth are "things." They can be perceived by the senses of human beings. They are the creation that is to be redeemed, to be brought into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.

The Lord Jesus, because He is the Son of Man (for to man has been given dominion over all the works of God's hands—Hebrews 2:6-8), has received as an inheritance the entire material creation. The saints, the members of His Body, are coheirs with Him of the material creation.

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:17)

The above verse is in context with Paul's statement that at the revealing of the sons of God the creation will be delivered from the bondage of corruption and brought into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

To be continued.